12062/Before New Life

Before New Life
Date of Scene:	19 July 2022
Location:	The Curio
Synopsis:	Gabby Kinney comes accross the Curio, mysteriously having moved places and having a soft open of its new hang-out area. Phoebe worries about her old friends who are still in the JLD after hearing about nightmares and Old Ones plaguing their dreams and lives. Phoebe is not able to offer much guidance, but can give Gabby a little Peace of Mind.
Cast of Characters:	Phoebe Beacon, Gabby Kinney

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Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    The Curio, when it stood in New York City, was as non-descript on the outside as ever, serving as the home of members of the Night Brigade.

    Tonight, from the outside it was just another faded fascade of a tenement building, with a rusting fire escape on the front and the name of the building carved into scroll work.

    Passing through the doors, however, it's anything but. The stairway definitely should not be leading off like that, and certainly not... downward.

    Below, in the two-story space where the main bar stood, there were a couple of folks mingling. A lot of black. A lot of leather. A lot of weird, pastel metallics, and definitely that weird tingling, electrical feeling hanging around.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
The Curio was before Gabby's time, or at least before her involvement with the people who had once been the Night Brigade. Some had moved on, others had transformed it into the JLD. The Curio was a place that had meant much to them though. When Gabby had heard of it's sudden appearance in Gotham? That made her curious.

The fact that she was a bit on the younger side for entering a bar doesn't stop her from doing so. Dressed in her 'new' casual clothes she doesn't look too out of place. A sleeveless black top with a button hole cutout around the collarbone is worn over a pair of fitted cargo pants that were more designer than functional. Still, it had pockets. Boots with a smidge of heel to improve her height finish it off. She enters taking a few moments to regard the bar area, as well as the more colorful neon toward the back thoughtfully.

"Well this is looking WAY better than the last time I saw it," she mutters.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Pockets were definitely a great thing to have on your clothing. The bartender looks up from where she was wiping down the bartop, and gives a slight grin.

    "Last time you saw it, huh?" she inquires, and then looks Gabby up and down, and then leans forward. "Funny how that works."

    And that's when a familiar figure comes around the corner. Leggy, blue-eyed, the most charming face, wearing a gold collar around his neck, and immediately as soon as he spots Gabby, runs for her, tongue out, ears pricked up, as Idu gives a happy sounding bark.

    And then Phoebe's face peers around the corner as well.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney nods solemnly in response to the bartender only to respond in the most straight-faced-manner. "I'm a time traveler." A pause, then she adds, "I mean we all are just we usually only go one direction, same as me, and IDU!" Thankfully her attempt at being funny or witty is completely forgotten as Idu comes around.

Quickly crouching down she flings her arms wide to accept the oncoming doggy hug. "How's the goodest tall boy doing?" Once she's properly greeted and licked on she scruffs her hands up and down his sides up to his ears where she gives extra good scritches.

Grinning anew she looks past him toward the emerging Phoebe. "Hey Pheebs! Doing good?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Idu is very happy to see a person he recognizes. He bounces around a little, delivering traditional Idu greetings and requesting of treats, and then settles as Phoebe makes her way over. Phoebe herself is self-conciously just wearing a gray pull-over shirt, and rubs her arms a little as she makes her approach. She gives a little bit of a hand-waggle in an 'eh, so-so' response to Gabby's question, and she looks clearly nervous, and tired. She points to Gabby, and then raises her shoulders in questioning, and motions to the bar area.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney stands after giving Idu his proper rub down pets of greeting. The begging gets a little laugh of apology as she shakes her head. "Sorry, no treats tonight, Idu."

Her hands dust off on her sides lightly before she nods toward Phoebe. "I hear you there. It's been busy lately for me. I think I might need a vacation soon one way or another." The gesture at the bar is met with another smile. "Sure, I could use a drink!" Though her gaze slides to the bartender in silent question. Maybe? "I was curious how this place showed up here, but... I guess there's ways. I was honestly hoping to go to the Market again soon but this place is neat, too."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe purses her lips. Not exactly what she was asking, but she gives Idu a soft whistle, and then goes to sit at the end of the bar, and takes out her cracked phone, and uses the drawing program on it to write out <What are you looking for?> she doodles as the bartender makes her way over, and leans in.

    "I know you're not twenty-one, not gonna even ask for a card. You want a Shirley Temple? Roy Rogers? Grapefruit Frizz or do you wanna be daring and try something with a little bit of oomph in it?" she questions, eyebrows rising.

    Phoebe already gets a drink put in front of her. It's a Sprite, with grenadine.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney glances over to the phone Phoebe puts in front of her to regard it thoughtfully with pursed lips. Part of her wanted to explain it all. Part of her wasn't SURE of it all. Plus Phoebe already had a lot on her plate.

The bartender offers a suitable distraction at least at the question. "I usually just go for rootbeer, to be honest. Alcohol doesn't do anything for me anyway. But if you've got something more exciting I'll give it a try!" Always up for new things, that was her.

Then she tips her head back toward Phoebe. "There's been some stuff going on. I can't give details because I don't have them myself. Just that something is potentially targeting members of the JLD. I was hoping I could find something to either sense evil or ward against it. Maybe both. Since I'm pretty much the most 'magically numb' out of all of us."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Must be Adventure Time if all the kiddos are being let out." the bartender replies, and goes to work on Gabby's drink.

    Phoebe appears to wrestle with something for a moment, and she shrugs her shoulder a moment and writes on the screen:

    <Trust me?>

    Gabby then gets something sat in front of her. It's in a comically large brandy snifter glass, with a crazy straw. The drink itself is a dark mystic blue. It's smoking and smells spicy and fruity-sweet.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
"I'm only a kiddo because I've decided to enjoy my youth and make up for a lost childhood. Besides, it's more fun," Gabby shoots back only to grin once again to show she wasn't upset. "Let's just say I started young. ... Okay that sounds so wrong," she muses while rubbing at her chin.

The question from Phoebe causes her expression to soften as she reaches out to squeeze the other teen's shoulder. "Of course I do. If I didn't I wouldn't be sharing any of this information with you to begin with," she points out with a little teasing wink.

The mystery concoction is eyed, only to shrug and reach for the straw. She leans in to take a sip on the questionable drink without hesitation. At least she was up for adventure!

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    She was up for adventure. As she sips, a 'bubble' in the glass breaks, and as a lemony smell takes over, the mocktail turns bright pink! It has a smokey, spicy undertone to it, but is sweetly minty and fruity in quality.

    Phoebe chews on the inside of her cheek a moment, and then she reaches out to press her index and middle finger of her right hand to Gabby's temple.

    Gabby may feel something like a mental knock. Phoebe's trying to establish a connection.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney squeals with abject DELIGHT when the drink does it's thing. Even if it wasn't alcoholic that didn't matter: It was delicious, and did indeed have a surprise. She's so distracted by it that she doesn't realize Phoebe has reached out to touch her at first.

At least until that little knock. Puzzled, but not entirely surprised, her eyes roll over to stare at Phoebe. A single slow breath is drawn and let out as she allows herself to do the opposite of what she'd been told to do to keep telepaths out: Instead of imagining a wall going up, she imagines curtains opening. Maybe it would help. Maybe there would just be cat memes.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe would not be surprised in the least by cat memes. Mental magic was, in truth, not her forte, but this one she worked specifically with someone on. She knows even in a high-magic environment like The Curio it was going to suck later for herself. It's why she didn't do it very often.

    <Can you hear me?> Phoebe thinks towards Gabby. <You don't have to think back, you can just talk. It might feel less weird maybe?>

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Amusement spills over that mental link at the suggestion from Phoebe. Gabby was grinning just as wide, and she sips the drink again. She wasn't great at this but she wasn't unaccustomed to telepathy. It was only just magic that was making it different.

< There were telepaths at the school. Plus M'Gann links us a lot during missions, remember? I'm good. And hello! >

Abandoning the drink for the moment she does remark, "I'll probably go back and forth honestly."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    <That's fine. I've been practicing with Zatanna, this is kind of the extent of the easy mental magic I can do. It gives me a migraine after about an hour.> Phoebe remarks mentally, giving a wry grin. <Which is why I'm surprised Chas was the only one who called 'bullshit' on the memory manipulation. Also I've never been to your school, that one guy made me neeeever want to go there.> she gives a visible shudder, and then turns back to her drink, stirring the fizzy Sprite.

    <So something is targeting the Justice League Dark. Color me unsurprised. Is it within the castle or without?>

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney twirls the straw around in the drink contemplating that, only to shake her head. < I'm still iffy on details. We all are. Rien was trying to hide it from us at first so we wouldn't ... I guess 'catch' it? She felt it was her fault and didn't want to endanger us. Robbie too.> So much there she could mention but doesn't.

< What I understand so far is that it's outside the castle. Possibly outside this dimension and leaking through. They, uh, called it the Old Ones which I'm really hoping isn't a reference to tentacled sleeping beasts. >

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    <Oh no, it's probably the Old Gods. I mean, the ones my ancestors worshiped -- The Dark Ones, the Shapeless Ones, the Primordial Waters from which I draw my super special powers are all technically Old Gods.> Phoebe frowns, and she leans forward. Robbie was involved with this business and didn't want to endanger them? She leans her chin on her hands, her dark eyes looking over the brightness of the lights in the back.

    <Well. You've got essentially the embodiment of Truth, a couple of half-angels, demon hunters of the professional sort, two-to-three spirits of vengence... you'll be fine.> Phoebe remarks, but there was a dryness to the commentary <I could probably come up with tattoos or mandalas to hide from sight temporarily, but nothing that will do much over a long time. And by the time I refine it enough anyone'll be past the point of wanting it. Lydia was better for that.>

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney pauses as Phoebe starts to go over all the details of the gods her people worshipped. It was possible. She wasn't entirely sure, but she wasn't the expert in such things after all. Mostly she was just along to be told 'go fight that' when needed.

The straw moves around more stirring up the drink while she listens, and nods quietly. Then just as quietly she states, "Robbie burned down his apartment. The nightmares triggered it. Rien had to keep the hellfire from spreading." Again she pauses, then...

"Jon made a deal with one. A giant eyeball thing."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney pauses as Phoebe starts to go over all the details of the gods her people worshipped. It was possible. She wasn't entirely sure, but she wasn't the expert in such things after all. Mostly she was just along to be told 'go fight that' when needed.

The straw moves around more stirring up the drink while she listens, and nods quietly. Then just as quietly she states, "Robbie burned down his apartment. The nightmares triggered it. Rien had to keep the hellfire from spreading." Again she pauses, then...

"Jon made a deal with one. A giant eyeball thing."

With that she looks back to Phoebe, lips pursed together with a very serious expression. "If I can find anything that might give an advantage even for a short while, it may come in handy."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe's hand squeezed at her glass. <Well. I'm sure Jon knows exactly what he's doing.> she replies. She turns over her phone. She double checks her messages, and then she stuffs her phone in her pocket and then rubs her hands over her face.

    <How is Robbie doing now? I do have a heavily warded room but I'm not sure how his passenger would feel about it if I offered it to him so he could get some rest. I have some items that could block the dreams for a little while. I've been trying to use them myself, but turns out they don't work when it's your own PTSD.> she explains, and then leans back in her seat. <Do you happen to know how Rien contained the fire?>

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney lifts her fingers to wiggle while saying aloud, "Maaagic." Ie, nope. She had no real clue. Her head shakes a bit. "I didn't even know until a few days AFTER the fire happened." This causes her face to contort as she stares down with a bit of anger at her drink as if it had personally offended her. They hadn't told her. Her own sister.

"They're fine. They're hiding out somewhere together." Another shake of her head comes, and she slips back into discussing things mentally. < Yeah. Still. I can't really feel, or sense magic, so I thought it might help a little. I don't know. Not looking for 'THE ANSWER' just a tool to aid. >

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe's eyebrows rise up. She scratches the back of her neck a moment, and she looks over to Gabby, and she gives a thin smile of understanding.

    <Whole lot of people not telling things. It's almost as if everyone who gets involved with magic develops assholery as a survival skill.> She draws herself up a moment, and she reaches for one of her necklaces. <I might have something to help the sense magic. You probably won't want to wear it all the time, otherwise you'll start getting tingles in weird places when you pass by the toaster in the Roost.>

Gabby Kinney has posed:
"Yeah, I blame the whole 'the magician is not allowed to tell the secret' mentality," Gabby states aloud perhaps confusing anyone that was listening in on the one-sided conversation. Not that she cared overly much. Saying weird things was one of her skills.

Tipping her head she regards the necklace that is pulled off with a slow nod. "Right, avoid the toaster. ... Ooh, or maybe I could use it to gaudge how far a diameter this thing works in..." she reasons. Nevermind haunted toaster what? For all she knew some of the robots in the Roost had also been magicked into working, too.

< What does it do exactly? Or what is it supposed to do?>

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Tim would not have let Phoebe touch the tech to magic it into working. Especially recently.

    <Stage magicians don't to keep the illusion. Actual magicians don't because demons could separate your soul from your body and no one could track you down to rescue you. Like one of the magi told me -- once you're dealt in, you don't get to fold.> Phoebe remarks quietly, and she goes to stand, motioning Gabby to follow her.

    <I was joking about the toaster. It's probably a weird wiring job and not that it's actually haunted.>

    She leads Gabby across the bar, away from the seating areas, and towards the lift.

    <I'm going to give you a piece of seaglass in a cage pendant. When you're around magical stuff, it'll glow. Kinda like the swords in Lord of the Rings.>

Gabby Kinney has posed:
< I don't know, I've heard of weirder. I got a haunted doll off of EBay after all. Plus imps love messing with toasters and ovens in my experience. > Don't ask how she has that experience. She slips off the stool, pausing to pull out some money to lay on the bar counter to pay for her drink, before heading off after Phoebe. "Oh that'd be cool," she agrees with a solemn nod.